Will the EU expand into a worldwide Economic power?

[Ryan_Liam]

The EU is admitting new member for the first time in 15 years, besides the Turkey question, it might expand ever more eastwards even the Russian public consider that they want to join the European Union, this means more territorial expansion and one day maybe a 'pan-european community' streaching from the atlantic to the pacific.

I know it sounds ludicrous, but what implications would this have on the world community at large?

[eponymous]

I think the EU could (and probably will) rival the US as an economic power. As a result, I think this will spur the US to push for further expansion of NAFTA (to include all the Americas).

It may also accelerate negotiations within Asia to form a more unified Asian trade bloc (China, Japan, S. Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asian "Tigers"), if the process isn't already underway.

I don't think it's out of the bounds of reality to predict that sometime in the near future (say 50 years) that there will be three large economic unions/trade blocs (EU, Americas, Asia) effectively competing with one another in the global economy.

[Duck Duck Goose]

The EU is admitting new member for the first time in 15 yearsUm...

http://europa.eu.int/abc-en.htm
The European Union (EU) was set up after the 2nd World War. The process of European integration was launched on 9 May 1950 when France officially proposed to create 'the first concrete foundation of a European federation'. Six countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) joined from the very beginning. Today, after four waves of accessions (1973: Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom; 1981: Greece; 1986: Spain and Portugal; 1995: Austria, Finland and Sweden) the EU has 15 Member States and is preparing for the accession of 13 eastern and southern European countries.Fifteen years ago was 1987. They admitted Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland, and Sweden since then, before last Friday's admission of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Malta.


Map.
http://europa.eu.int/abc/maps/index_en.htm

They'll have to persuade Norway and Switzerland before they can have a European Union stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

[Ryan_Liam]

So Britain doesn't count then?

[Captain Amazing]

Originally posted by Ryan_Liam
So Britain doesn't count then?

Well, Britain's been in the EU since '73. as DDG's link shows, and as you no doubt know.

[Ryan_Liam]

I was talking about the 'streaching from the atlantic to pacific '

[Charlie Tan]

Norway is talking about another referendum. It seems a powerful minority in Norway wants the membership, but the large majority is against it.
And from what I've heard, Russia needn't bother applying. There is an upper limit to how many nations can be a part. Turkey is obviously next, with the countries of the Balkans. It'll prolly happen some time during 2007 - 10.

As for the OP. Right now I wouldn't say the EU poses a threat to the US. Ten years from now, quite possibly.

[Ryan_Liam]

There isn't a set limit on how many can join, there even taken into consideration that Morrocco and Tunisia join as well, but i'm talking 40-50 years down the line though.

[Duck Duck Goose]

"Stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific" would presumably include ALL the nations within those boundaries. Norway and Switzerland would be conspicuous blank spots in that EU map.

[Ryan_Liam]

ok I'll let you have that one :)

[sailor]

I got news for ya: The EU already is a "worldwide Economic power". Unless you have a different definition than I do.

[Duck Duck Goose]

And, just because a nation gets an invitation to join the EU doesn't automatically mean that they WILL join.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2575121.stm
Saturday, 14 December, 2002, 10:45 GMT
EU hopefuls to woo voters

Leaders of the 10 countries invited to join the European Union on Friday are turning their attention to the potentially tricky task of selling the deal to their voters.

A series of referendums must take place before they can join the union in 2004.

In addition, parliaments of the current 15 EU countries need to ratify the treaty. So there's still a lot of paperwork to be done.

[jimmmy]

I think the future and the ultimate shape of the EU is dependant on many factors. One specifically (among many)

How are they going to absorb/deal with/ countries with a lower standard of living , esp. re wages/Unions/environment/deficits etc. than current members. You see it with Turkey now, wait for Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Khazistan –in fact all the “stans”…. it is an issue that is going to need to be dealt with over and over. So far the EU has neatly dodged the issue of Turkey, but it has already roiled the Union for years. In fact the Turkey issue has flat outed stopped expansion before. This is a NATO member … this issue will be times 10 in the years ahead and may threaten the union's expansion

[SandyHook]

Just to throw in my 2 cents worth. I'm making a prediction.

Russia, if ever, is a long ways off as far as joining the EU. They have no economy and aren't likely to develope one any time soon. They have no tradition of business, having gone directly from the Czars to Communision. Their money is a joke. They aren't a threat militarily any more and would more likely be a military drain on the EU rather then an asset in the next lifetime or two.

But they do have Siberia and Europe might take them on as a project just to get hold of all the treasures there. But a long term project they would be.

[owlstretchingtime]

The EU is an economic superpower already.

There are many people in the Nation states who would very much like to sever relations with the Euro superstate, and I think that we may become considerably noisier about it soon.